After Democrat lawmakers abdicated their duties by fleeing the state, Texas Governor Greg Abbott has vowed to arrest the entire group.
In an effort to block GOP-backed election security bills, roughly 60 Democrat members of the Texas House of Representatives traveled via two private planes to Washington, D.C. to meet up with the Congress and the Biden administration to support Democrat “voting rights” legislation at the federal level.
Pathetic! King Sized Pathetic!
They go to D.C. to urge Schumer to toss the Filibuster so the Senate can pass an unconstitutional voter bill!They know they can't pull the mail-in crap a 2nd time. Need a new fraud act.https://t.co/HrZdcTzlVQ
— Daniel F. Baranowski (@DFBHarvard) July 13, 2021
“Isn’t this the most un-Texan thing you’ve ever heard — Texans running from a fight? They’re quitters,” Governor Abbott said during an appearance on Fox News’ The Ingraham Angle on the evening of July 12.
“They are using a filibuster to flee the state of Texas, to plead with the president to do away with the filibuster in Washington, D.C. That is the example of hypocrisy on its face,” he added.
“Once they step back into the state they will be arrested and brought back to the Capitol and we will be conducting business,” the governor continued.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott is vowing to arrest the Texas Democrats who fled the state to stop bills they don't like rather than do their jobs. pic.twitter.com/WCNAAmvVFe
— MRCTV (@mrctv) July 13, 2021
After Governor Abbott vowed to arrest the Democrats who fled, a vote was held on the matter in the House. According to reporting from Matt Couch, “Texas House Votes 76-4 to arrest Democrats who left for Washington, D.C. and [held] up voting in the State Legislature.”
BREAKING: Texas House Votes 76-4 to arrest Democrats who left for Washington, D.C. and help up voting in the State Legislature…
— Professor Matt Couch (@RealMattCouch) July 13, 2021
Due to the lawmakers’ absence, the House lacks a quorum and is unable to vote on any legislation. Quorum refers to the minimum number of members of an assembly that must be present at a meeting to make the proceedings of that meeting valid.
This is the second time that the Democrats have acted to deprive the House a quorum. The first occurrence happened in the final hours of the regular legislative session on May 30, when Democrats walked out of the chamber just hours before an expected vote on the election legislation.
Abbott isn’t letting them stop this vote from happening, vowing to call another special legislative session just as he did the first time.
“We have special sessions that last 30 days,” he explained. “And the governor calls them, and I will continue calling special session after special session because over time it is going to continue until they step up to vote.”
House rules state that the chamber can vote to lock the doors, preventing lawmakers from leaving, and to order law enforcement officials to track down and arrest members who have already fled.
The voting measures that the Democrats fled to avoid voting on included ending 24-hour polling places, banning ballot drop boxes, and empowering partisan poll watchers. Republicans in the state have proposed these measures to prevent voter fraud and protect election integrity.
Republicans are calling out the Texas Democrats for running and hiding.
“Enjoy the all expenses paid charter jet and vacation in DC. But you really should be earning your taxpayer provided income rather than running and hiding,” said Texas Republican Senator John Cornyn.
Enjoy the all expenses paid charter jet and vacation in DC. But you really should be earning your taxpayer provided income rather than running and hiding. https://t.co/gb7yTtxXqw
— Senator John Cornyn (@JohnCornyn) July 13, 2021
“Hard to imagine a more delusional group of people – thinking that lying about these bills, hopping on a chartered flight, sipping beer, and skipping work is ‘sacrifice,’ You guys are pathetic. Totally pathetic,” Crenshaw tweeted.
Hard to imagine a more delusional group of people – thinking that lying about these bills, hopping on a chartered flight, sipping beer, and skipping work is “sacrifice.”
You guys are pathetic. Totally pathetic. https://t.co/bdvKavOr1J
— Dan Crenshaw (@DanCrenshawTX) July 13, 2021
“58 Texas Democrats ILLEGALLY blocked the vote on new Texan voting bills. Not only did they abandon their duties illegally, but they failed to represent their constituents. Why are they so against protecting our elections?” North Carolina GOP Rep. Madison Cawthorn asked.
58 Texas Democrats ILLEGALLY blocked the vote on new Texan voting bills.
Not only did they abandon their duties illegally, but they failed to represent their constituents.
Why are they so against protecting our elections? https://t.co/tWupMPL68O
— Rep. Madison Cawthorn (@RepCawthorn) July 13, 2021
“The Texas Democrats who have pulled this political stunt by flying to Washington, D.C. almost surely had to show ID to get on their jet, yet they’re throwing a fit because they don’t want basic election integrity steps strengthened in Texas,” Senator Ted Cruz wrote.
The Texas Democrats who have pulled this political stunt by flying to Washington, D.C. almost surely had to show ID to get on their jet, yet they’re throwing a fit because they don’t want basic election integrity steps strengthened in Texas.
— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) July 13, 2021
“What a bunch of cowards these Texas Democrats are. Cowards are never moral and these losers have abdicated their duty to represent their constituents both Republican and Democrat,” said entrepreneur and political commentator Caleb Bonham.
What a bunch of cowards these Texas Democrats are. Cowards are never moral and these losers have abdicated their duty to represent their constituents both Republican and Democrat. @KevinRobertsTX #TexasDemocrats pic.twitter.com/tn3LrbrkGX
— Caleb Bonham (@CalebBonham) July 13, 2021
“The Democrat cowards who ran from Texas know that the voting laws are going to be passed. They are just raising their profile with Democrats in DC before that happens. But the bills are being passed,” conservative writer Carmine Sabia wrote.
The Democrat cowards who ran from Texas know that the voting laws are going to be passed. They are just raising their profile with Democrats in DC before that happens. But the bills are being passed.
— Carmine Sabia (@CarmineSabia) July 13, 2021
All that the Democrats have to say about the matter are stale talking points and false allegations of voter suppression. Texas Rep. Trey Martinez Fischer claims that he and the rest of the fleeing Democrats have the “resolve” to wait out the special session.
“There is nothing special about this session in Austin. It is a suppression session. They are trying to take away our right to vote and we’re not going to put up with it and we’re going to fight,” he said in an appearance on MSNBC.
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